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Austin TX - Ranked 1 for Best Places to Buy a Home in 2011 - WalletPop.com

By
Real Estate Agent with Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com 0480809

According to WalletPop.com, Austin TX ranks number one for the 10 Best Places to Buy a Home in 2011.  However, and I love this part, they say "this mostly unscientific and partially-biased list is based on a grab-bag of lifestyle priorities and, yes, thorough reporting."  And that is followed by posting the list "in no particular order."  Love it!!

Being biased myself, I have to agree that listing Austin TX in the number one spot was a great way to go! We have a great job market with new companies relocating here all the time!  Facebook is one of them, offering hundreds of jobs.  The unemployment rate is considerably less than the nationwide rate, and housing, for the most part, is very affordable.

I don't really know how they got a median home price of $119,788 when the average home price is well into the $190's, but they're probably using tax value numbers or some other made-up numbers from Trulia or Zillow, as Texas is a non-disclosure state which means actual home sales prices are not disclosed which means there is not a published, accurate number.

Either way, the median price may not be $119k, but it is significantly lower than most of the country, which makes it desirable. I'm currently working with a relocation family from CA because they know that they could never afford a home where they are and they want part of the "American Dream"... are we still calling it a dream?

Follow everyone to Austin TX and don't listen to the old-time Austinites about not wanting the area to grow.  Texas people are supposed to be hospitably people, so the more the merrier!!

Here's the full article from WalletPop.

*Are You Packed Yet?** 

donna harris Realtor Austin TX blog

Donna Harris, REALTOR®
RE/MAX Austin Skyline
www.DonnaHomes.coma
Donna@DonnaHomes.com

Austin TX Real Estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... Hill Country Austin TX Real Estate and beyond. Whether you're buying or selling an Austin home, I'll be with you every step of the way. 

For real time Austin TX listings, click here.

** #1 Agent in my Office for all of 2008 **

Copyright© 2011 By Donna Harris, All Rights Reserved. You may re-blog with links back to this post.
*Austin TX - Ranked 1 for Best Places to Buy a Home in 2011 - WalletPop.com * was first published on donnahomesblog.com.

Comments (11)

Roy DuBose
Austin Distinction Realty - Austin, TX

bring 'em on!!!!!!  austin's a great place to truly live life in an abundant way!

Jan 03, 2011 03:26 AM
Kathleen Cooper
Kathleen Cooper, Sposato Realty Group - Worcester, MA
Sposato Realty Group - Broker Owner

Very cool!  Loved what parts I got to see when there in September.  This is great news for your market area!  

Sincerely,

Kathleen

Jan 03, 2011 04:08 AM
Tricia Jumonville
Bradfield Properties - Georgetown, TX
Texas REALTOR , Agent With Horse Sense

Hey, newbie Austinite, I'm an old-time Austinite (40 years and counting and gave birth to two native Austinites), and while I wouldn't say I don't want the city to grow, I AM concerned, as an agent who works with relocation clients and as someone who loves Austin with a deep and abiding passion, with growth of the kind that kills the goose that laid the golden egg! ;-)  

Austin is not Dallas, and should never be (lived both places and they each have very different charms).  So I'd just as soon "everyone" didn't move to Austin - just those that love it for what it is!

 

 

Jan 03, 2011 05:59 AM
Sussie Sutton
David Tracy Real Estate - Houston, TX
David Tracy Real Estate for Buyers & Sellers

I wish my son would move to Austin and get a job there instead of Ft Worth....Ft Worth is great but he is a techie....and Face Book would be a great place to work and Austin a great place to live.

Plus it would only be a two hour drive for me to go see him as apposed to a 5 hour drive. Oh well....

Jan 03, 2011 08:11 AM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Donna

It nice to know that you live in Austin Texas one of the 10 best places to buy a home.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Jan 03, 2011 11:08 AM
Joseph D. Federico
MVP Realty - Naples, FL
Southwest Florida Homes with Joe Federico

Donna- I just wanted to drop by and say hello and wish you an awesome year in Real Estate for 2011!

Jan 04, 2011 01:26 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Donna, wow!  Without the actual sales numbers, how do you come up with comps for pricing?  Do you have the information for agents to use in your MLS?

Jan 04, 2011 04:50 AM
Susan Brown
Keller Williams NE, Kingwood Texas (Humble & Atascocita too) - Kingwood, TX

Donna, Congrats on Austin making the top of the list! Austin is a great city - and it's nice to know that others think so too (even the unscientific & partially biased).

Jan 04, 2011 05:44 AM
Donna Harris
Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com - Austin, TX
Realtor,Mediator,Ombudsman,Property Tax Arbitrator

Roy, THanks!

Kathleen, I hope it  helps the market further!

Tricia, Sorry, but not everyone has the luxury of moving here or anywhere because they like it. THey have to follow the job market, for the most part. That's the only reason I'm here, and I'm trying to make the most of it.

Sussie, Yes, the driving back and forth to family is a pain! I hated the 20 minute drive to my mom's when I lived in Dallas.

Lou, Thanks.

Joseph, THanks, you too!

Pat, Yes, there is information in our MLS that only members have access to. Also, if both buyers and sellers agree to not diclosing the sales price and/or closing cost contribution, then that information is withheld. A sales price would show only as the list price. Zillow, Trulia, and third parties do NOT have access to our sales data in Texas, which is why Zestimates are a zesti-joke!

Susan, Exactly!

Jan 04, 2011 05:54 AM
Steve Shatsky
Dallas, TX

Hi Donna... Austin is a GREAT choice for that distinction!  I loved my time living in Austin.

Jan 04, 2011 03:09 PM
Stephanie Stringer
First Choice Loan Services NMLS#210764 - San Antonio, TX
Mortgage Loan Originator

Donna-  I am not suprised about this news of Austin. It's a beautiful place and the city has so much to offer.  Take care...

Jan 06, 2011 05:57 AM